When I first hired on at Croman Dan looked at me and said, "We generally don't hire guys like you". I thought, "Oh boy, this isn't going to be much fun". I was expecting to have to work with someone who would make my time there difficult. Well, it turned out to be just the contrary. Dan took me under his wing trying to firehose feed me all you could possibly know about the "61". I learned "Nope, nope nope" had a special meaning for Dan. When he was finished getting me straightened out the conversation was closed with a friendly, "At any rate". As the years passed I learned that Dan was a man of his word. A handshake was a contract. A plan was painstakingly detailed to the nth degree. First and foremost Dan was a friend and mentor whom it was my pleasure to have known. Safe skies Dan, we'll miss you.
Daniel Leslie Leach
Forever In Our Hearts
Daniel Leslie Leach
October 7, 1948 – September 29, 2026
The world lost one of the very best humans on September 29, 2026…my father. Daniel Leslie Leach was born on October 7, 1948 and passed away in hospice care on September 29, 2026, with family by his side.
He had two great loves in his lifetime, his family and his love of flying. Daniel was born to Pearl and Lyle Leach in Enterprise, Oregon. He had many brothers and sisters, whom he loved dearly, and he would speak often of how special they were to him.
My dad proudly served his country in the United States Army as a warrant officer and helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, where he flew the CH-47 Chinook. Following his military service, he pursued a career in civilian aviation, flying helicopters for several companies before spending 36 years with Croman Corporation in Southern Oregon. His career as a helicopter pilot was a defining part of his life. He valued his friends and coworkers at Croman and was so proud to have had a such a wonderful career there. They were his second family. He served as Croman’s chief pilot from 1987 through 2011, then became the assistant to chief pilot until he retired in 2019. He flew 17,800 hours as pilot in command and 15,400 hours of that in the S-61s. He was proud to share his great love of flying with the many pilots he trained over the years.
My dad was generous to a fault and had a smile that would light up a room. He was gentle, compassionate, always calm, and always there for those he loved. He was incredibly smart and humble.
My dad was preceded in death by his parents, Lyle and Pearl Leach, his sister Margie Leach Balch Goddard, and his brother Timothy Leach who died in childhood.
He is survived by his siblings Alan Leach, Lynn Leach, Karen Leach Lane, Rebecca Leach McDonald Payne, and Kimron Leach. He is also survived by his wife of 44 years, Sunantha “Yupin” Leach, his daughters Charla Triplett, Naphat “Al” Leach, and Amy Ney-King, his grandchildren Reiley Carney, Brooks Ney, Logan King, Taylor Triplett, Tilapon Kanchanaakaset, Penpark Kanchanakaset, Maitree Kanchanakaset, and Pei Kanchanakaset, and great grandchildren Mille and Ava Ney, Alice Carney, Santiago Gomez-Rivera, and Liam King.
Clear skies, Dad…until we meet again.
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